One source that I think is pretty good for novice and more advanced cooks is America's Test Kitchen or Cook's Country books. They have a pretty eclectic mix with strong emphasis on comfort food. One thing that makes them so good is they explain why recipes work. Why certain cuts of meat work and why certain spices work. They give you a pretty firm working knowledge of things and why certain things work. They also test a lot of equipment and can give you a pretty good database on kitchen items overall. As far as bang for your buck they really can't be beat for gaining a solid cooking base.
You can often find them on sale at a pretty good discount too.
America's Test Kitchen cookbook is amazing. It's more than just a cookbook with the tips and equipment recommendations.
Downsides: it's big, really big.